Best Public Schools in Sparks, MD

Sparks, Maryland, is home to a single public elementary school, Sparks Elementary, which serves grades Kindergarten through 5th grade with an enrollment of 509 students.

Sparks Elementary is a standout institution, consistently ranking in the top 3% of all elementary schools in Maryland over the last three years, earning a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger. This is particularly striking because it operates within the Baltimore County Public Schools district, which itself is ranked near the bottom of the state (28th percentile, 2 stars). The school's academic proficiency is exceptional: 66.9% of students are proficient in mathematics (compared to 21.9% for the district and 27.1% for the state), 84.5% are proficient in English Language Arts (compared to 46.1% for the district and 51.7% for the state), and 72.5% of 5th graders are proficient in science (compared to 31% for the district and 32.4% for the state). Chronic absenteeism is very low at 8.6%, less than one-third of the district average of 25.6%.

Key metrics reveal a school with strong community resources: only 10.41% of students are eligible for Free or Reduced Lunch, indicating a predominantly affluent population. The school invests $18,538 per student and maintains a favorable student-teacher ratio of 15.5:1. While all scores are excellent, there is a slight decline in math proficiency from 74.4% in 3rd grade to 62.5% in 5th grade, a trend worth monitoring. Overall, Sparks Elementary functions as an "island of excellence" within its district, demonstrating that local factors like a highly involved parent community and strong school culture can drive outstanding student outcomes.